Waterfowl Management in Georgia

Important Waterfowl Species in Georgia

In his classic book, "Ducks, Geese, and Swans of North America,"
Frank C. Bellrose describes 55 different species of
waterfowl. In Georgia, only a few of these species are seen in
any great numbers. Most of the common species of ducks can be
divided into two distinct groups, dabbling ducks and diving
ducks. Georgia's most common members of each group are
described below, including life history information from Bellrose's
book. Learning to identify the different species of ducks can
be accomplished through the use of field guides that can be
purchased at most bookstores.

Dabbling or Puddle Ducks

These ducks are recognized by several common traits. They
prefer shallow water and dabble or tip up to feed. Their legs are
set near the middle of their body, and they are able to walk
comfortably on land. When taking flight, they leap almost
vertically from the water. They have a patch of bright colors,
called a speculum, on each wing.

Wood Duck

The wood duck is the most
common duck in Georgia. It makes up nearly 50% of all ducks
harvested by Georgia hunters, and it is the only duck that breeds
in significant numbers in our state.

Breeding Areas - Eastern half of the
U.S., from Maine to Florida, and west to Texas.

Food Habits - The prime food item in
the fall is acorns. Other important food items include smartweed,
wild millet, duckweed, and panic
grass.

The wood duck was abundant in the forested wetlands of North
America during the pre-colonial period. But as the human
population grew, man's activities began to have an enormous impact
on the wildlife populations around them. Loss of bottomland
hardwoods and unregulated market hunting caused wood duck
populations to decline drastically, nearly to the point of
extinction by the early 1900's.

Protection by laws such as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918
and the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act of 1934 (the Duck Stamp
Act) along with the development of the first artificial wood duck
nest box in 1937 have helped wood duck populations to soar once
again.

Today, the wood duck is the most common duck in Georgia, and it
is the number one bird in the bag for Georgia's waterfowl
hunters. In 1997, Georgia's hunters harvested over 52,000 wood
ducks (43% of the total duck harvest). In contrast, in 1961
(the first year of available USFWS harvest data) only 4,100 wood
ducks were harvested in Georgia (20% of the total duck
harvest).

Currently, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources operates
90 Wildlife Management Areas across the state. On these areas,
almost 2000 wood duck nest boxes are maintained
annually. Other agencies (U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) maintain over
500 wood duck nest boxes on their properties. Many private
landowners also erect and maintain wood duck nest boxes.

The wood duck, like all other waterfowl species, relies heavily
on man's conservation efforts for its continued survival. With
the continuing loss of mature, bottomland hardwoods, the
naturally-occurring cavities that wood ducks use for nesting remain
scarce. By providing artificial nesting cavities,
conservationists can help enhance local wood duck
populations.

Mallard Duck

The mallard duck is another common dabbling duck found in
Georgia. The mallard makes up 13% of our duck harvest.

Breeding Areas - The northern one-third of the U.S, extending
northwest across Canada to Alaska. Breeding mallards seen in
Georgia are feral, i.e. escaped or released from captivity, there
are no truly wild mallards breeding in Georgia.

Other Important Dabblers

Besides the wood duck and the mallard, there are several other
species of dabbling ducks found in Georgia during the fall and
winter. Green and blue-winged teal are some of the smallest members
of the waterfowl family. Blue-winged teal are early migrants,
and often pass through Georgia as early as
September. Together, these species account for about 7% of
Georgia's annual duck harvest. Other dabblers found in Georgia
include American wigeon, northern shoveler, mottled duck, gadwall,
and northern pintail. None of these species individually
account for more than 3% of Georgia's duck harvest.

Diving Ducks

These ducks differ from dabbling ducks in several
ways. They prefer deeper, more open water. They dive to
feed, often to depths of several feet. Their legs are set
farther back on their body, which allows them to swim better under
water, but makes them appear awkward when trying to walk on
land. When taking flight, they run across the surface of the
water prior to becoming airborne, and their wing patches are
usually white or gray.

Ring-necked Duck

The ring-necked duck is the most common diving duck in Georgia
(Figure 5, inside front cover). It makes up 18% of the duck
harvest in Georgia.

Canvasback

The canvasback was known as the "King of the Ducks" during the
market hunting days of the late 1800's and early 1900's around the
Chesapeake Bay, where it was preferred because of its large size
and excellent table fare. Today, the canvasback still carries a
high reputation with waterfowl hunters (Figure 6, inside front
cover). In Georgia, the canvasback makes up just under 5% of
our annual duck harvest.

Lesser Scaup

In addition to the ring-necked duck and the canvasback, the
lesser scaup is another important diving duck for Georgia hunters
(Figure 7, inside back cover). Lesser scaup make up nearly 4%
of Georgia's duck harvest.

Other Important Divers And Sea Ducks

In addition to the ring-necked duck, canvasback, and lesser
scaup, there are several other species of diving ducks that are
found in Georgia during the winter. Redheads are seen on Lake
Seminole during their migration to the Gulf of Mexico. Hooded
mergansers can be found in the same forested wetlands as wood
ducks. The small bufflehead occasionally is found on some of
the larger reservoirs as they migrate through Georgia. In addition,
ruddy ducks can be important species in some areas.

Another group of ducks is called the sea ducks, and this group
includes species such as the eiders, scoters, oldsquaw, and
harlequin. Very few seas ducks are harvested in Georgia, but
they can periodically be seen in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean
off the coast.